Equation for missional impact

Posted by Josh Howerton on Jan 4, 2011 | Comments Off

The most exciting memory coming out of Christmas break isn’t the 30 hrs of board games I played with my family (yes, you read that right) or a very special gift I received from my sis-in-law.  It’s that I got to have two seriously powerful ministry moments with lost family members.  NOTHING fills me with joy in Christ or thirst for an increase of God’s presence like the Spirit-filled rush of sharing the gospel with someone who needs Jesus.  Nothing.

I know a LOT of people in The Bridge want to be active in sharing their faith effectively, but don’t know how.  Here’s an equation based on Paul’s ministry in the NT that’s helped me simplify this for me in the last four months…

GL + RI + GC = MI

Unpacked it means (Gospel Living) + (Relational Investment) + (Gospel Communication) = (Missional Impact).

Gospel Living

People see that your posture toward life and view of yourself is EXTREMELY different because you’re living in light of the gospel.  You’re living out of a crushing realization that you’re more sinful than you ever dared believe and more loved by God than you ever dared hope.  You view yourself as just as – probably MORE – sinful than them because of a beautiful obsession with what the gospel says about you. People see that there’s a paradox in your life that they haven’t seen before – the gospel keeps you from both religious pride (you’re so sinful Jesus had to die for you) and sorrowful self-condemnation (you’re so loved he was glad to die for you).  You have a humble confidence in Christ.

Relational Investment

People don’t listen to people who don’t care about them.  Relational Investment means that you’re investing time into real friendships with lost people, knowing and understanding them as well as sacrificially helping them with problems.  You’re not treating them like a project; you really love them and enjoy being with them.  You shop with them, watch games with them, cook out with their families, and get coffee with them.  You make time and create margin in your life to be able to spend time with lost people.  They have to know that you care about them as a person rather than as a “potential convert”… and you really have to care about them that way.

Gospel Communication

You clearly, boldly, and humbly speak the gospel to them.  It’s not a sermon.  This is usually going to happen when you know them well enough for them to come to you with their problems.  Inviting a lost person to a worship gathering is a VERY good thing; it’s a great way to connect them with the body and for them to hear the gospel… but gospel communication is you explaining the gospel message to them, fielding their questions, and helping them move past their obstacles to gospel belief.  You’re helping them understand their sinfulness and need of a Savior.

These three things are the three components of New Testament missional living and the sum of their value equals Missional Impact.   When they’re all present as they were in the life and ministry of Paul, the gospel is going to BURST FORTH powerfully.